Woman fined after admitting fly-tipping

28 August 2018

A Northwich woman has been ordered to pay a total of £830 after admitting fly-tipping.

Katie Connor, 30, of Thornley Green, Northwich, was prosecuted by Cheshire West and Chester Council for fly-tipping 12 bin bags of domestic waste which had been left strewn on the ground beside Pole Lane in Antrobus.

The incident of fly-tipping was reported to Cheshire West and Chester Council by a member of the public on 24 August 2017 and an investigation was launched.

A Council enforcement officer attended the scene and, after an inspection of the waste, the rubbish was traced back to Ms Connor.

Despite Regulatory Services contacting Ms Connor on four separate occasions to invite her to attend a formal interview under caution to account for the waste, she failed to attend.

On 28 June 2018, Ms Connor attended court and entered a not guilty plea and the case was adjourned. She returned to court on 21 August 2018 when she changed her plea to guilty. She was subsequently fined £300, and ordered to pay £500 prosecution costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Ms Connor was prosecuted for failing to take all reasonable measures to ensure that an authorised person disposed of her waste, not for personally depositing the waste.

As well as the environmental impact of making our streets look dirty and untidy, it costs the Council around £600,000 a year to clear litter and fly-tipped waste in the Northwich, Ellesmere Port and Chester areas.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Karen Shore said: “As there have been other successful prosecutions for fly-tipping in recent weeks, it is clear that some residents still think they can dispose of rubbish wherever they choose.

“Fly-tipping is a drain on Council services and causes problems for law abiding people in our community.

“The Council has a zero tolerance approach to this activity and we will continue to seek prosecution of people found guilty of it. We hope this case will deter others from offending in this way.”

If you discover illegal tipping of waste or see it being tipped, support the Council’s Street Care Pledge and report it 24 hours a day on the Council’s website (search ’fly-tipping’), on the Your Streets website, via Twitter (@Go_Cheshirewest), or in person at any of the Council’s Customer Service Centres.

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